The Curtailed Age of Peace
by Wondrous-Serendipity
Summary: Peace reigned over the land. Stability was returning to the dragon race. But in a world recovering from such disaster, opportunities for evil to arise are plentiful. Especially when Malefor was only the tip of the iceberg...
1. Chapter 1: Silly Antics And Love At Last

**A/N: Hello everybody! This is my first Spyro story and focused attempt at writing something decent. If you see anything wrong, no matter how petty, please tell me! I hope to improve!**

**I'll warn you now, the story does start off a bit slowly but I promise that there will be lots of action in the future.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Legend Of Spyro series. I do, however, lay claim to any OCs that appear in the story.**

* * *

_The end of war signals a new age._

_An age of peace_

_Friendship_

_Family_

_And Love._

_But just because the war is over,_

_Does not mean evil no longer exists._

* * *

**The Curtailed Age of Peace**

* * *

**Chapter 1 — Silly Antics And Love At Last**

"Well young dragon, where might you be?" Ignitus, the newly appointed Chronicler, contemplated aloud. Though he knew Spyro was alive, he still felt a bit of worry for the young dragon. After all, he had been Spyro's mentor and had a close relationship with him — a father-son bond almost — so naturally he would be concerned.

'_More like a grandfather-grandson bond'_ Ignitus thought with a mixture of mirth and sadness. It was no secret that he was a dragon long past his prime, the oldest of the four guardians. That was one of the many reasons he was the leader of the guardians, along with being one of the most skilled dragons in the world, having an amazing ability to keep a very cool head under pressure and able to be a very effective leader both on and off the battlefield.

After sending the tattered _Book of Deceased_ back to its shelf, he called forth a new one. This book was a stunning purple with gold embroidery around the edges and spine, almost devoid of wear and tear. Inscribed of the front were the words _Spyro — Purple dragon_. Using his newly acquired power of telekinesis, Ignitus opened the book to the last few pages, which informed what happened after he had perished in the Belt of Fire, and began to read.

He could not stop the large, tender smile that spread across his face as he read the final words detailed — _I love you_. Words spoken by Cynder in what was believed to be their final moments together.

'_What fitting last words, though they should have been said much earlier'_ Ignitus thought. In his opinion, Spyro and Cynder would make a fantastic pair of mates. They had been through a lot together, confided in each other, respected each other and were inseparable. Nothing could break them apart even during the most strenuous of times. Add in some attraction towards each other and there you have it, the greatest pair of mates you could find.

'_I hope you are proud Vitisha and Motoni, I know I am'_

Ignitus' musings were cut short when the sound of a nearby door opening and closing echoed throughout the room, followed by soft footsteps. Caught off guard, he whirled around to see who or what had entered. His eyes widened at the spectacular sight before him.

"Hello Ignitus. We have much to discuss."

* * *

The joyous laughs of playful teenage dragons filled the air, accompanied by the quieter calls of the birds. The land they soared over was bright and full of life, a haven compared to its former self. Trees stood tall and vibrant, their branches and green leaves making faint noises as they rocked in the gentle, cooling breeze. Emerald green grass, doted randomly with colourful wild flowers, created a blanket of life over the land that was once neglected and destroyed. Many different fauna moved throughout the vast flora, trying to find shelter, water or food as the resplendent sun showered the realm with caressing beams of golden light, causing the many rivers and streams to glint and shimmer.

"You're never going to catch me if you keep flying _that_ slow, Spyro!" A black dragoness known as Cynder shouted with mirth.

"Hey, it's not my fault!" Spyro, a purple dragon, shouted as he once again missed Cynder's slim, agile frame.

"Yes it is, you just don't want to admit it!" She teased playfully while somersaulting, once again, out of his reach.

They had been playing this game of tag ever since the sun had risen — five days after they had woken up subsequent to Spyro rejoining the world. When they had first woke up they were extremely achy and sore, Spyro more so than Cynder, and so they spent almost the entirety of that day resting and asleep. The day after was a lot better for them. Their joints and muscles ached a lot less, so they were able to hunt nearby deer, small mammals and birds, gaining strength from the protein-rich meat, as well as forage for fruits and vegetables that would provide much needed vitamins and minerals.

They had spent everyday so far like that, so at dawn Spyro had suggested a simple game of tag to have some fun and pass the time. What was supposed to be a ten to twenty minute game had gone on for hours, mostly because of Spyro's refusal to give up on tagging Cynder, and Cynder having a lot of fun teasing him about not being able to keep up with her.

"Cynder! Can we take a break?" Spyro said, starting to pant, "It's midday, we've been at this for hours!"

"I know! Fun right?"

"Only because you keep winning" Spyro muttered, annoyed at how close he kept getting only to miss.

"Fine. But we both know that it's because you can't keep up!" Cynder said, sounding exasperated, though the big grin spread across her face said otherwise.

Spyro just smiled and rolled his eyes at her child-like and playful behaviour as they glided down to a nearby river, Cynder on his left side. Sure, they were sixteen and maybe they were a bit too old to be playing a game of tag but they never had much time to do so together while they were younger at The Temple, mostly because Spyro was either recovering or training.

Another reason for the child-like behaviour was the fact that Cynder never had a childhood and although Spyro did have a lot of fun playing hide-and-seek with his adoptive brother Sparx in the swamp, he never really had a proper 'dragon's childhood'. So really, all this fooling around and playing children's games was to make up for lost time. Well, that was how they viewed it. Maybe people like Cyril and the other guardians would view it as immature but they couldn't care less. They were having fun and that was all that mattered.

While taking a drink from the refreshing clear water, Spyro became increasingly aware of how much his body — especially the wing joins — was starting to ache. After standing back up, he stretched his back and legs while stretching his wings as far as they would go to the sides, accidentally poking Cynder in the ribs.

"Hey, watch it!" Cynder reprimanded, turning to face Spyro in order to give him a half-hearted glare.

"Sorry." Spyro apologised sheepishly as a blush and an awkward smile spread across his face.

"It's ok, just wasn't expecting it. Sore?" Cynder asked, her body also starting to feel uncomfortable. She too stretched, poking Spyro in return.

"A bit, but mostly achy." Spyro responded, returning the half-hearted glare albeit more playfully.

"Me too. I guess we really shouldn't have fooled about for that long, huh?"

"Yeah. But it _was_ fun."

Cynder nodded in agreement. "So what do you want to do now?" she asked, turning away from the river and Spyro in order to scour the surrounding area.

An idea popped into his head and a sly smile covered his muzzle. "How about this!" He shouted while diving into Cynder and knocking her into the river as well as himself. When they stood back up in the shallows, Spyro erupted into a rambunctious laugh while Cynder tried to glare at him but also ended up laughing almost as hard.

When she got herself under a bit more control, she smacked her right forepaw into the water, splashing Spyro, resulting in some of the water entering his open mouth and causing him to choke slightly.

"Hey!" He spluttered, putting on an exaggerated hurt expression.

"That was for knocking me into the river!" Cynder laughed, enjoying how ridiculous Spyro was looking.

Spyro just narrowed his eyes deviously and a mischievous smirk crept across his face before smacking his paw into the water and splashing Cynder in return.

* * *

From the entrance of their cave they watched as the sun slowly set, bathing the land in a mixture of orange, cerise and golden light. The sky was turning from the brilliant light blue of the day to the dark blue and black of the night, accompanied by the millions of radiant stars and the two massive moons. The birds were quietening down, preparing to go to sleep, as were the many other fauna. The air was still with tranquillity.

Juxtaposed with all the calm was Spyro, who was starting to become very nervous. He had heard what Cynder said back in the centre of the world but his body had been too tender to really consider it. Now though, especially after the events that had occurred earlier in the day, he could safely say he felt the same way. The problem and the reason behind his anxiety was _how_ to bring it up in a conversation. 'Soooo, do you really love me?' just didn't sound right.

He was hoping that Cynder would have mentioned it but she hadn't. He had come up with two reasons why: one, she was really embarrassed about it or two, he imagined it. He really hoped it was the first because otherwise he was about to make a fool of himself and quite possibly damage the relationship they already had with each other.

"Hey, um, Cynder?" Spyro said, radiating nervousness.

Cynder easily picked up on his nervousness and her curiosity spiked; the world was safe, what could possibly make him unsettled? "Yeah?"

"Well, uh… I was thinking, um… well, did you, um… uh…?"

"Just spit it out Spyro!" Cynder snapped agitatedly, even though it came out harsher than she would have liked.

"Ok." Spyro said, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, "Cynder… is what you said… back in the centre of the world… true?"

She wasn't expecting this and it made her worried. Spyro hadn't mentioned it the past few days, so she had thought he had never heard her. After all, the world was falling apart so that created a lot of noise that could have easily drowned out her voice. She was going to tell him eventually; once they had arrived at Warfang, the inevitable celebrations over and they had some normal routine going.

What if he didn't feel the same way? What if it ruined their friendship? Spyro was the only friend she ever had. Sparx was always claiming that she was still evil and treating her as if she was the plague — though that might change when they get back to Warfang. Cyril was too arrogant for her liking and wouldn't stop arguing with Volteer or talking about the 'elegance of ice'. Volteer was normally too busy arguing with Cyril and nigh on impossible to understand for he either spoke too quickly or used words that she didn't completely understand, though she was getting better at understanding him… eventually. Terrador and Ignitus were more like father-figures, though she wasn't nearly as close to Ignitus as Spyro was.

Turning away to look at the floor so she wouldn't have to look at his expression of horror, she gave a timid, quiet reply, "Y-yeah."

"Really?" To say Spyro was happy was an understatement. "Wow… wow!"

Hearing Spyro sound like an excited hatchling using their element for the first time was not what Cynder was expecting. "You're… you're not horrified?"

That statement catches Spyro off guard. "Horrified? Why would I be horrified? What is there to horrified about?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that all I've ever done is cause you pain and anguish! Maybe the fact that I've killed hundreds and tried to kill you in the past, even during our final battle against Malefor! Maybe… maybe the fact that no one likes me." What had started as anguished and angry shouting turned into a sorrowful whisper by the end of her lecture. Tears were also starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

After hearing that heartfelt display of emotion, Spyro's visage softened. "Now that's not true and you know it." He said slowly and compassionately, as if talking to a confused and distraught hatchling. "It was never your fault. You were taken as an egg and corrupted. You couldn't have done anything about it. What you did was a result of Malefor using and controlling you. So it was never you who killed those people. It was never you who caused me grief. It was all Gaul and Malefor.

"As for your final reason: after everything you've done, I don't think that you'll have to worry about that. But on the off chance that people don't like you, it won't matter to me. I don't care what other people think, I like you. No, scratch that… I _love_ you." Spyro said with the most amount of conviction Cynder had ever heard, causing her to look at him with wide eyes.

"Spyro, I—"

"Let me finish. I'll love you no matter what. And I'll stand by you through thick and thin. I promise you that I'll always be there for you. Always." With that said, he leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss. Though it took her by surprise she didn't hesitate to lean in and deepen it.

When Spyro pulled away, they were both wearing similar goofy grins. Though it was silent, there wasn't any need for words. That single beautiful kiss said it all, sealing the promise Spyro made and Cynder agreed with. There was, however, one more issue that needed to be addressed.

"Well, I think we've had a long enough vacation. Do you want to head back to Warfang tomorrow?" Spyro asked.

Though she would've liked to stay where they were forever, Cynder couldn't dispute his logic. The rest of the guardians were most likely worried about them and Sparx was probably going crazy without them. "Yeah."

"Great! It'll be good to see everybody." Spyro said with great enthusiasm. "Well, we better go to sleep so we're well rested for tomorrow. Good night."

* * *

The sun had finally set, though the world was not cast into darkness. The colossal moons and dazzling stars illuminated the serene and still land. The many rivers and streams were quiet and tranquil with insects skimming across their surface in search of food. The warm air lulled the sleeping animals and tickled the vast amount of plants. The owls, though, kept watch.

The world was finally right for once. Malefor existed no more. Lives were no longer in danger. People could live peacefully. And that was what two sleeping young dragons, with their tails entwined and cheeks pressed together, were going to do.

* * *

**A/N: So, tell me what you think and what I should do to improve.**

**Updates will not be regular and frequent, so bear with me.**

**Until next time…**

**W-S.**


	2. Chapter 2: Warfang, Our New Home

**A/N: Welcome back! Hope you enjoy this new instalment. Same drill as before: see any mistakes could you tell me. I really want to improve my writing skills so pointing out even the most petty of mistakes would really help me.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Legend Of Spyro series. I do, however, lay claim to any OCs that appear in the story.**

* * *

**Chapter 2 — Warfang, Our New Home**

The birds cried out in euphoria as deer and other herbivores feasted on the endless expanse of vegetation. The early morning sun, that showered the land in a mixture of brilliant pale orange and golden light, warmed the young dragons' scales as they stretched in preparation of the flight they were about to undertake. The bright green grass tickled their paws as they moved about slowly, scouring the land for unique and recognisable landmarks.

Spyro couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought of going back to Warfang. To his new home. At last, he had found a place where his species resided. It was what he had dreamed of since he had left the relative safety of the swamp he grew up in. To find out what he was and to be among them. Live the way his ancestors did before him. Though he did enjoy living at The Temple with the guardians and Cynder, he wanted to meet new people, hear different stories of eventful youths and listen to many tales of countless experiences. Five dragons can only tell you so much, even if four of them are the most skilled dragons in the world.

Cynder on the other hand was anxious. She had become one of the most infamous and feared dragons in existence, even if she was being controlled by Malefor. Most people didn't even _know_ that she was being controlled against her will. And though she knew Spyro would always try to protect her, she was afraid people would attack her in retribution for her past. The more she thought about it, the more it made her nervous, so she decided that she would stop that train of thought before it ate her up.

"So, how are we going to get back to Warfang?" She asked.

"I haven't really thought about it much… Sorry." Spyro replied sheepishly.

"You mean to tell me that you have no idea how we are going to get back?"

"Not exactly. Maybe if we fly high enough we might be able to make out where we are. We know that east is approximately in the current direction of the sun, so we should be able to gain our bearings."

"Alright then."

With one mighty flap of their wings they were off the ground and, within seconds, soaring to great altitudes. From their height they could see for miles around. The vast forests and jungles to the west; the majestic mountains that spread from the north-west to the north-east; the stunning blue oceans of the south-east; the marshland and swamps in the south; and to the east, a familiar, single dormant volcano watching over rolling hills of emerald green grass and patchy dense woodland. As Spyro looked closer he could make out what looked like a yellow dot nestled in what appeared to be a group of large hills.

"Do you see that? The yellow dot-thing!" Spyro announced enthusiastically, looking to the east.

"It looks like it could be Warfang!"

"We're not too far away! We should get there by mid-afternoon! Come on!" Spyro shouted, abundant with joy. Flapping his wing with vigour, he made a beeline for the yellow dot in the distance.

"Spyro, wait up!"

* * *

"Wow, those moles sure can work quick!" Cynder exclaimed.

From where they were, a grassy hilltop in what used to be the Burned Lands about one kilometre away from the walls of Warfang, they could see what had happened during their vacation. What was once a battle scarred, crumbling wall was now a flawless golden barrier that stood tall and proud. Watchtowers had even been erected on either side of the wall to provide extra security. The buildings nearest the wall were all repaired and looking to perfection. But despite all of the reconstructed buildings, they could still see many scaffolding complexes set up throughout the city, most likely full of diligent and meticulous workers trying to restore their great city as quickly as possible.

"We're home." Spyro said, a flood of emotions washing over him, most prominent of which was happiness.

"Well, come on!" And with that, they were flying towards their new home.

When they were about a quarter of the way to the walls of Warfang, they started to make out the distinct loud noise of a tolling bell. _Ding, ding-ding. Ding, ding-ding_.

"Do you think that bell is for us?" As soon as the words had left Spyro's mouth, the ramparts were a bustle of activity. Within a couple of minutes, Moles lined every inch of the fortifications while dragons hovered about twenty metres above them. As they neared even closer, they could hear the thunderous cheering from the ecstatic citizens.

"I think so!" Cynder teased with a big grin plastered on her face.

When they were about three-quarters of the way there, a screeching yellow blur flew through the air towards Spyro, smacking straight into his muzzle, causing him to back-pedal in the air a bit. "Spyro! You're alive! You're ok!" Sparx shouted rapturously.

"Yes Sparx. As you can see I'm ok." Spyro teased with mirth, happy to see his brother once again.

Sparx pulled back and smacked his brother on his muzzle in a playful manner. "Hey, it's my job to be sarcastic, not yours!" He then took notice of Cynder who was hovering a few feet in front. "Cynder!" He exclaimed, "You kept your promise and kept my big lump of a purple brother out of trouble!"

"Of course I did." Cynder said, smiling sweetly at Spyro.

"You know what, you're alright." Sparx said with a large smile. When Spyro cleared his throat though, his smile faded somewhat into a slight grimace. "And I'm sorry for all I said." He muttered quickly, looking to the ground one-hundred-feet below them.

Both Spyro and Cynder smiled at that. "So, what are we going to do about all those people?" Cynder asked uncertainly, looking towards the thrilled citizens.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sparx asked her incredulously, "You go great them! Come on!"

Cynder looked to Spyro and he gave her a reassuring smile as he went to follow his bother. Wasting no time, she followed.

They flew over their welcoming party and landed in the crowded courtyard just beyond the gates where they once fought a Troll during the siege of Warfang. Instantly they were overwhelmed by a mob of citizens patting their backs, saying many 'thank you's and mostly cheering.

Then the crowd in front of them was split by a squad of armour-wearing mole and dragon guards. Behind them was a highly recognisable green dragon.

"Terrador!" Spyro shouted happily, running up to the large dragon, Cynder and Sparx in tow.

"Spyro, Cynder, it is tremendous to see you well!" Terrador greeted joyously, his baritone voice booming over the crowd. "I believe we should continue this talk in the temple with the other guardians though. Come."

Terrador led the two teenage dragons, and accompanying dragonfly, to what they assumed was the new temple perched on what seemed to be the highest point in all of Warfang. A wide, tall, cylindrical building, with a colourful stained glass dome roof, that was interconnected on either side to two, even wider, seven-story, rectangular buildings, with five balconies on each floor. Behind the cylindrical building were two similar buildings: one that was almost half the diameter on the left and one that was nearly twice as tall on the right. Perfectly pruned hedges and trees, each with different colourful flowers or blossoms, lined the front and sides of all the buildings.

"Welcome to The Warfang Temple!" Terrador boomed proudly.

The small group landed in front of two large wooden doors fitted with two elegant brass knockers at the height best suited for a mole. On either side of the doors were two fully armoured guards, a mole on the left side and a dragon on the right, who, when they saw the group land, bowed deeply in respect. After the group had addressed the guards, the mole pulled open the left door, allowing the small group to go into the spectacular temple, and then closing it once they had entered.

They entered a very spacious and elegant circular room. Unlit torches were hung at regular intervals along the wall with many intriguing tapestries in-between them, each depicting a different event in dragon history. Statues of many significant historical figures were also spread about the edges of the room, mostly of different dragons but there were a few of moles. Both the tapestries and the statues spiked Cynder's and Spyro's curiosity; they were interested in how their ancestors had once lived. Colourful rugs decorated the floor in a precise and professional manner as did many ancient ornamental urns and vases that were carefully placed on small polished wooden tables.

Two circular doors, side-by-side, just like the ones found in the old temple, were directly in front of them. Two doorframes covered with a thick cream drape were also on the far left and right of the room.

"The doors on the far left and right lead to the Halls of Residence. The doors in front of us will take you to the Pool of Visions, which is on the left, and a training room, which is on the right. Volteer and Cyril are currently waiting for us in the Pool of Visions." Terrador explained.

The door opened the second the party of four approached it, revealing a virtually bare room, half the size of the atrium they were just in, with a few torches and four banners hung on the wall. Green for earth, yellow for electricity, blue for ice and orange for fire. Seeing the orange fire banner sent a pang of sadness through Spyro. In the centre of the room was a small, metal-rimmed pool filled with a mysterious liquid otherwise known as the Pool of Visions. Sitting around the pool were the guardians of electricity and ice.

"Spyro, Cynder! It is fantastic, excellent, terrific, marvellously superb to see you alive and well!" Volteer exclaimed excitedly at his usual fast pace.

"Yes, yes, it's good to see you, though you gave us quite a big scare when you failed to show up for a fortnight!" Cyril scolded in his usual aristocratic tone of voice.

"Sorry." Spyro began sheepishly, "Wait, a fortnight? Fourteen days? We've only been awake for six!"

"Now, now, calm down Spyro. I'm quite sure that it was only your body giving itself time to recuperate. After all, I'm sure that your final battle with Malefor was of impressive, awe-inspiring, tremendously epic proportions." Volteer said with barely contained excitement.

"Now that's enough Volteer, back to the matter at hand. Where would Ignitus be?" Cyril inquired, though there was an apprehensive knowing look in his eyes.

As soon as the question was aired Spyro's entire body sagged and a mournful look appeared on his face. "He… he didn't make it." He choked quietly, tears starting to gather in the corners of his eyes. Cynder wrapped her wing around him and nuzzled his cheek in an attempt to comfort him. The guardians, too, wore mournful expressions.

Heaving a great sigh, Terrador finally broke the sorrowful silence that had fallen over the group. "I… was afraid of that."

Having enough of the sombre atmosphere, Sparx attempted to cheer everyone up. "Alright, we need to stop with the long faces. Of course it's a sad time with Ignitus gone, but he wouldn't want us to be like this. He would want us to celebrate the fact that Malefor is gone and we can live in peace."

"Sparx is right. Ignitus would not want this. He should be remembered but not in a mournful, sorrowful way." Volteer said, brightening up a bit.

"Indeed." Terrador agreed.

Thinking that a change in subject would be best, Cynder stepped in. "Volteer, how many rooms are there in the Halls of Residence?"

"One-hundred-and-thirty-eight exactly."

Happy for the change of subject, Spyro joined in the conversation. "Why so many? Who are they for?"

"For The Academy of course!" Cyril exclaimed.

"Academy? Who for? What for?"

"For teenage dragons such as yourself! There you shall refine and master your skills in the elements as well as learn about a variety of other subjects ranging from history and folklore to simple field medicine." Cyril explained as if it were the highest of all honours.

"Hold up! I thought Spyro and Cynder were already masters." Sparx exclaimed in confusion.

"Not really Sparx. There's still a lot more we can learn." Spyro said matter-of-factly. He then turned to the guardians, "And I mean no disrespect by this but, weren't all of the eggs smashed apart from mine and Cynder's?" He said cautiously, knowing full well that it was a touchy subject for the guardians.

Terrador smiled kindly and sadly at the younger dragon. "At The Temple, yes. You see, every dragon breeding season normally brings between one-hundred and two-hundred eggs. Your year was not an exception. There were one-hundred-and-thirty-eight eggs laid in that year in Warfang and the surrounding areas, that's the reason behind the amount of rooms in the Halls of Residence. However, The Temple's grotto could only take fifty-one." His smile widened at the younger dragons' wide eyes.

"So that means…"

"Yes, there are other dragons your age. Hopefully eighty-seven of them." Terrador announced.

"Where are they?" Sparx asked.

"In hiding, with the rest of Warfang's missing population."

"So you have no idea then." Sparx said sarcastically, earning frustrated glares from the guardians.

"Sparx!" Cynder and Spyro reprimanded.

"What?"

"I believe that we have had quite enough of this for one evening." Cyril proclaimed, "Sparx, could you show Spyro and Cynder to their rooms? I am sure they are tired from today's exhausting events."

"Sure thing. Come on guys." Sparx said excitedly, turning to leave the room, Spyro and Cynder in tow.

Once they had left the room, Terrador heaved a large sigh.

"When are we going to ask them, old chap?" Cyril asked him.

"Soon, Cyril, soon. We all know that it will be a lot of work for them to deal with, especially without Ignitus here, so we should give them time to relax in this new environment." Terrador replied

* * *

After exiting the room with the guardians in, the group of three walked through the doorframe on their right into a corridor that could fit at least two adult dragons side by side. Down the left side were five doors, lit torches in-between them to illuminate and warm the corridor. The right side was arranged exactly the same but with four doors instead of five; where the third room would have been, half way down the corridor, was a perpendicular hallway — this was unique to the ground floor. The first door on the left had the words _Volteer — Guardian of Electricity_ inscribed in stylish, bright yellow letters. The first door on the right had the words _Terrador — Guardian of Earth_ inscribed in bold, forest green letters. At the end of the corridor was a narrow spiral staircase.

"What's down there?" Spyro asked, looking down the hallway on the right which was illuminated by a few torches.

"An entrance to the garden." Sparx answered plainly, "Now then, we are on the top floor."

"What?" Cynder asked, sounding frustrated about the six flights of stairs they were about to climb. "Why?"

"Couple of reasons." Sparx began as he proceeded up the many flights of stairs, Spyro and Cynder in tow, "When those other dragons move in, they'll be filling _both_ of the blocks floor by floor so that'll mean the top floors will mostly likely be empty and we'll have a lot of privacy. Probably best seeing as Spyro is _the_ purple dragon. Another reason is because the rooms on the top floor have the best views, so, you know, it's romantic-y and stuff."

"Romantic-y and stuff?" Cynder asked.

"Yeah. When those other dragons come, you guys will probably go looking for a mate, so you should be able to, um… _move the process along, _with the romantic views and such. Of course you'll have to impress them beforehand as well but that shouldn't be too difficult for you." When Sparx's 'talk' was over, Spyro was flushed red and gave Cynder a sheepish smile, as if apologising for his brother. She, in return, gave him a mischievous grin which was completely lost on him.

They were now approaching the end of the corridor on the sixth floor where the last two rooms were situated. "Ok!" Sparx exclaimed, turning around to face his brother and Cynder, "Spyro, you're on the left with me and Cynder, you're— KISSING MY BROTHER!"

When they had finally stopped at the end of the corridor, Cynder had pulled Spyro into a deep and passionate kiss and though he was caught by surprise, he was thoroughly enjoying it. They pulled apart smiling at each other and Cynder gave him a wink and a quick 'good night' before opening the door to her new room, which was marked by the word _Cynder_ in bold, magenta letters with a black trim, and closing it with a loud _thump_. Grinning at Sparx's stupefied look, Spyro also entered his room, which was marked by the word _Spyro_ in bold, golden letters with a purple trim, and closed the door, leaving his brother alone with his thoughts… whatever they were.

"I… really… should've seen that coming." Sparx muttered before he shook him head roughly, opened a miniature door in the centre of the one Spyro had just opened and entered the room.

"Pretty neat, huh?" He asked his dumbstruck brother.

The room was large. The four walls were painted to look like the sunset and the floor was covered in a dark purple carpet. The roof was also painted to look like the starry night sky. The entirety of the left wall was covered by three polished wooden bookshelves filled with many different books and scrolls on a variety of subjects. In the centre of the right wall stood a brick fireplace with stacked firewood to one side. Opposite the fireplace, next to the bookshelves, was a huge two metre-deep depression filled to the brim with massive, satiny cushions that served as the sleeping area. In the far wall was a doorway covered by a thick dark purple drape that would help keep drafts out but could also be moved to let light in. Either side of the drape-covered doorway were two banners: an orange fire banner and a green earth banner. On either side of the main entrance were another two banners: a blue ice banner and a yellow electricity banner.

"This is… is… wow!" Was the shocked purple dragon's reply. Never in his life had he ever had anything this _luxurious_. In the swamp he slept on the cold muddy ground, in The Temple he slept on the cold hard stone and when he was on his adventures he slept wherever he could. Things were truly looking up. He had the dragoness of his dreams and now the best sleeping quarters of his life.

"This is nothing. Check this out." Sparx announced, earning a curious, and slightly doubtful, look from Spyro.

Sparx just pointed to the corner where the right wall met the back wall. At first glance it looked like nothing was there, but when he got closer he could make out a black piece of silky cloth that was hung from the roof. "My own hammock! And it's sooo soft, like sleeping on a cloud!" Sparx said theatrically, earning an eye roll from Spyro. "I mean it! Finally some recognition, after all, I am the mighty shrine God Sparx of Tall Plaines _and_ I saved the world twice… ok, ok, fine. With a bit of help from you."

Spyro just rolled his eyes again and decided to change the subject before things got out of hand. "What's through there?" He asked, pointing towards the drape-covered doorway.

"Take a look for yourself."

After pulling back the purple drape, he stepped onto a small, bare, stone balcony which allowed a brilliant view. The sky was turning pink and orange indicating that the sun was setting. The gardens below were full of many different trees ranging from sycamores to various fruit trees. Many shrubs and bushes also grew throughout the ocean of cut, bright green grass, naturally separating the gardens into different sections. But the main focal point of the entire gardens was the massive water feature in the very centre of it all. It was designed to look like three equally sized dragons standing back-to-back, wings fanned out and heads pointing to the sky with a single jet of water coming from each mouth that collected in the pool surrounding it.

"Great view isn't it" Sparx stated, startling Spyro.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Spyro said dazed.

"Seems like someone's turning into a half-dead-zombie." Sparx teased, earning a glare from Spyro. "Come on. Lets go get some rest. You'll be fine tomorrow after a good nights rest."

* * *

**A/N: Personally, I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter but no matter what I did, it never satisfied me. I hope you enjoyed it though. Tell me what you think. **

**Did you have a favourite scene?**

**Until next time…**

**W-S.**


	3. Chapter 3: Apprenticeships

**A/N: Hello everybody! I am **_**so**_**, **_**so**_** sorry for the mega long wait. I ran into a big case of writer's block and now I'm in the middle of my exams which are draining a lot of my energy. Anyway, here is the latest instalment of **_**The Curtailed Age of Peace**_**. Hope you enjoy it! Also, if you could point out any mistakes I made then I would be very grateful.**

**And a great big thanks to those who reviewed:**

_**spyrosfan**_**: Thank you for your kind comments. And I have taken your advice and changed the summery. What do you think?**

_**SupernalGodzilla**_**: Thank you for your kind comments. Sorry about the long wait.**

_**Dragonfinder**_**: Thank you for your kind comments. Hopefully this chapter will have less mistakes in it.**

_**twilight dragon god**_**: Thank you for your kind comments. I fixed that mistake in the last chapter, thanks for pointing it out. The scene where Sparx goes crazy is my favourite too.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Legend Of Spyro series. I do, however, lay claim to any OCs that appear in the story.**

* * *

**Chapter 3 — Apprenticeships**

Spyro awoke the next morning to the birds cheerily chirping their new day greetings and his dragonfly brother's raucous snoring. After getting up off his silky soft bed, he stretched his muscles before deciding he would sit out on his balcony, not only to get some fresh air and clear his head, but to also escape Sparx's deafening snores.

Pulling back the purple drape revealed it to be early dawn outside. Sitting on the balcony for a few minutes, taking deep breaths with his eyes gently closed, helped empty his mind and a sense of tranquillity overcame him. It lasted only for a minute though, for a loud rumbling noise echoed from his stomach.

Still hearing his brother's thunderous snoring, Spyro decided to subdue the rumbling by finding something to eat. It was only after he had taken off from his balcony and flown around the building to the front of the temple that he realised he didn't know where to go to get food. Spotting the two guards that were posted outside the temple, he decided to find out where the best places to eat in Warfang were.

As soon as he landed, only a few feet in front of them, they instantly snapped into a salute, which instantly made Spyro feel uncomfortable. "Um… At ease." He said, the statement sounding more like a question than an order due to his uncertainty. It was his first time being saluted after all. The guards took up more relaxed positions.

"What can we do for you, Sir?" The dragon guard on the right asked in a gruff, militant voice.

Feeling slightly more confident, Spyro managed a smile. "I'm quite hungry and, being a complete idiot, I forgot to ask where you can get food from. So, um, where can I find a place to eat?" Spyro asked sheepishly.

"Free public meals are served in the Mess Hall." The mole guard on the left explained in a deep voice, smiling slightly.

"Where is the Mess Hall?"

"The Mess is easy enough to find." The mole continued, "It's the massive rectangular building in the middle of the city. It'll be even easier for you to spot from the air — it's the only building with a painted dark green and glass rooftop. Remember: breakfast is from dawn to mid-morning, lunch is from mid-day for about an hour-and-a-half, and dinner is served about an hour before sunset. Anything else you want to know?"

"No, thank you for the help." Spyro said gratefully, ruffling his wings in preparation. With one powerful flap, he was airborne and heading in the direction of the Mess Hall.

"You're welcome!"

* * *

"Terrador, I believe that we should ask the young dragons today instead of waiting."

The green Guardian frowned. "I thought we agreed upon giving Spyro and Cynder more time to recover, Cyril."

"I know, I know, but we do need their decision to know how to proceed, and it is important that we do so in the right way." said the blue dragon.

Terrador heaved a rumbling sign. "That we do. I just feel that they need a little longer."

"We all do." Cyril sighed, "They will be alright. We will give them a couple of days extra rest before we begin, if they agree that is."

"Very well. Would you go see if you can find them and tell them to come here after they have had their breakfast?"

"Of course."

Once he had heard the door close, Terrador closed his eyes. "I have a feeling that something very bad is going to happen soon."

* * *

Flying over Warfang, while paying attention to detail — unlike the previous day when he was too giddy to focus anything else other than the fact that he was home — allowed Spyro to take in all of the architectural beauty. A vast amount of buildings made up the city, from tall skyscrapers that housed apartments or workspaces to smaller two-or-three-storey houses, though many were not in use. The many buildings were made out of sandy, gold-coloured brick that glinted in the early rising sun. Polished wooden-framed windows were mostly covered by timber shutters due to the earliness of the day, though some were opened; most likely by people who worked for the guard, worked in the three infirmaries located throughout the city, or were merchants who need to set up their stales in the market square, and needed to be up early.

He could tell he had found the Mess Hall when an enormous, flat-roofed, rectangular building came into view. Most of the roof was made of crystal clear glass and what wasn't was painted a distinct dark green. Angling his wings, he made a rapid decent because all of the flying had made him ravenous. He landed in front of the building's large open doors, which he took as a sign that the Mess Hall was available to the public.

He entered into a short, wide corridor, illuminated with torches, that was obviously designed to allow as many people as possible to be side by side. At the end of the small corridor was another large open door, with the aromas of many different foods floating through it. The smell of flavoursome food made his stomach growl with anticipation.

Once inside the dinning room, he made his way to the serving counter on the left where several mole attendants stood, dressed in white chef's clothing, serving portions of different food to the early morning risers, the majority of which were in armour.

"Excuse me." He said politely to a mole attendant stirring the contents of a container set into the counter.

The mole in question looked up and when his eyes landed on Spyro, they widened in surprise before he quickly composed himself. "W-what would you like, Sir?"

Containers full of different stews, casseroles, porridges, fruits and vegetables were laid out in front of him. There were so many that Spyro was at a loss on what to have. Jugs of water were also laid out, along with many glasses. "What would you say is good?"

"A lot of it, Sir. But I would recommend the rabbit stew." The mole replied quickly.

"I'll have that then, please."

The mole quickly ladled some light brown mixture into a small white bowl before setting it on a tray and placing it on the counter in front of Spyro. Spyro then took a glass and filled it full of water, setting that on the tray before he took it precariously in his mouth. He then made his way to the far side of the hall, where hardly anyone was present, to eat in peace. The many stares he had received since he had entered made him feel uncomfortable.

While eating his delectable rabbit stew and drinking the refreshing water Spyro's thoughts turned to present times. What would they do now? How would they find Warfang's missing citizens? Was it even possible to find them? Were they even still alive after all this time?

Spyro's musings were cut short with the clatter of a tray in front of him. He looked up only to be met with the emerald green orbs of Cynder. "Morning."

"Good morning." She replied, about to eat her own breakfast. From the looks of it, Spyro guessed that it was also rabbit stew.

"So what should we do today?"

"Well, Cyril found me just after I left the temple and told me that the rest of the Guardians want to see us after breakfast. It sounded urgent. I wonder what they want?" Cynder mused.

"I don't know. At least we won't have to worry about being bored out of our minds today."

This caused a chuckle to escape Cynder's maw. "With Sparx about, I don't think we'll ever get bored."

This statement caused a rather loud laugh to erupt from both of them, though they quickly got it under control as soon as they realised where they were. They received a few odd looks from those nearby, most poignant of which was from a large, armoured, fire dragon, who had golden shoulder guards instead of the standard sliver.

"Hey, what's so funny? You better not be talking about me!" Came the distinctive voice of a certain dragonfly.

"Nothing Sparx."

"Yeah, well it didn't sound like nothing." Sparx said. When he received no answer he just sighed in annoyance. "Fine, fine. So, what sort of trouble are we getting into today?"

Spyro looked at his brother in exasperation. "Well, after breakfast me and Cynder are going to go see the Guardians."

"Is that enough trouble for you Sparx?" Cynder teased with a grin.

"Are you kidding?" Sparx asked incredulously, "I can have hours of fun pestering them! It was my favourite pastime while you and Spyro had your '_vacation_', which, by the way, you forgot to invite me to."

"Sparx, I'm sorry about that, but we really weren't in the best of conditions to come back straight away." Spyro explained with sincerity.

"Spyro, I was only joking—"

"I know, but I still feel slightly bad about it. We never really had a break, you and me. So how about this: after me and Cynder are finished with what the Guardians want us to do, we'll go visit Mum and Dad."

Spyro watched as the look of shock on Sparx's face turned into a smile of gratitude. "A family vacation! Brilliant! It'll be great to see Mum and Dad. And I know that Mum will want to meet Cynder!" Sparx said, bubbling with excitement.

The dragoness in question look surprised. "You want me to go with you?"

"Well, duh. It's called a _family_ vacation. You're part of the family now so of course you're going!" Sparx said enthusiastically, to which Cynder and Spyro raised their eyebrows. "I mean, uh… yeah."

Spyro smiled happily. He was grateful that his brother and the dragoness he loved were on good terms; it would have been extremely difficult if they weren't.

* * *

After breakfast, the party of three made their way back to the temple and the Pool of Visions. There, the three Guardians waited, looking oddly anxious about something. This made Spyro's stomach drop in unease. If the Guardians were concerned about something, it meant it was very important.

"Good morning young dragons, and young dragonfly." Terrador greeted, "I trust you had a good breakfast." The party of three nodded.

"Excellent!" Volteer exclaimed in his usual hyperactive voice. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all and—"

"Volteer, please! We have an important matter to discuss and it never will unless you quit your incessant babbling!" Surprisingly Volteer quietened. This unnerved Spyro even more for if the Guardian of electricity was not willing to argue then something most important was definitely about to happen.

"Spyro, Cynder, as you both know we Guardians are starting to reach the end of our days where we can be most effective in our position. It is about this time that we would start to pick apprentices from the newest generation to take up the mantle after we retire." explained the earth Guardian, "As you can obviously tell, we can't do that right now due to the fact that there are no young dragons currently available to take our places. But that will change in due time."

"Indeed it shall." continued Volteer, "I am currently working on a high-powered device that will be able to detect minuet traces of various elemental energies in a five hundred square kilometre area. I—"

"Wait, wait, wait! What?" asked a very confused Sparx; the interruption annoying the Guardians.

"He said he's making a machine that will be able to detect a dragon's elemental powers, no matter how small, in a five hundred kilometre radius." explained Spyro.

"Oh… Why didn't he just say so?" muttered Sparx.

"Yes. Well, as I was saying, I am half way through the build and should be finished, if all goes well, in about three to five weeks. I am also constructing a smaller version of the device that I will be able to carry about and use once we can estimated where and how far away the rest of our city's citizens are." Volteer said, barely stopping himself from exploding with his jubilant excitement.

"How can we help?" inquired Cynder and Spyro at the same time, causing them to blush.

Terrador chuckled at this. "You two are always willing to help; that's a good quality to have. No, we don't need your help with this matter; it's another that's the reason for your being here."

The great green Guardian took a deep breath before continuing, a reminiscing sparkle in his eyes. "As you know, the current Guardianship is made up of myself, Volteer and Cyril, as well as Ignitus when he was alive. What you don't know was that there wasn't always four Guardians, long ago there were nine." Terrador smiled widely at the younger dragons and dragonfly's shocked faces, as did the other Guardians. "As well as earth, ice, fire, and electricity, there was also a Guardian for wind, shadow, fear, poison, and the least common of them all: light."

"If there were other Guardians then where are they?" Sparx asked quickly, though he had an inkling of what the answer was, as did Spyro and Cynder.

"We do not fully know, though we believe them to most likely be dead." answered Cyril sorrowfully, "The last time we saw the wind and fear Guardians, Pepia and Tussen, was before they left to observe Munitions Forge and the ape activity there, eighteen years before the raid on the Temple. And the last time we saw Veni, the Guardian of poison, was before he left to see how the Atlawa were faring on Tall Plains, fifteen years before the raid"

"And the final time we laid eyes upon the Guardians of shadow and light, Kivuli and Lysia, was before they left to scout the lands for ape movements. That was ten years before the raid on the Temple." Volteer added mournfully.

"I'm sorry." Spyro said quietly, unsure of what else to say.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, young dragon. What is in the past, is in the past; nothing can change that." said Terrador, "Anyway, back to the matter at hand. It was always believed that there should be a head of the Guardians, a Master Guardian if you will, since the Guardianship was first formed millennia ago. But for that, the dragon would not only need to be strong and wise, but also able to control all of the elements, for it was, and still is, though in a lesser degree, seen as mockery to be discussing an element you knew so little about as if you knew all there was to it."

"A purple dragon…" Spyro murmured, eyes wide, realisation dawning on him.

"I think you know where this is going." responded Terrador with a proud smile spread across his face.

"That's not all though." added an ever excited Volteer, "Being Master Guardian will be very stressful, demanding and taxing at times, though that is _if_ you accept the position — you do have a choice after all — so we have come up with a solution that will help ease some of the burden. You would have an assistant, or advisor if you will; they, too, shall go through the same training as you, excluding any training for elements they cannot wield. And we think we have the perfect person for the job, though that is if they too accept the position." With that being said the gazes of all the Guardians turned to Cynder.

Shock registered on her face, along with slight confusion and joy. "Me? But… why?"

Terrador couldn't stop the chuckle that left his maw. "Why ever not, Cynder? You are well experienced, knowledgeable, and have the right qualities for the job. Plus, you and Spyro know each other very well, so you understand each other, and trust each other with your lives, am I correct in thinking so?" The young dragons nodded without a doubt. "And do not fret about it too much, you have not finished your training and most likely won't do for quite a few more years; after all, you both wield more than one element and a normal Guardianship takes about five to seven years to complete. Though it is not unheard of for it to be completed within less time."

This relaxed the young dragons' minds to some extent, but there was still a couple of things that had to be addressed. Most important first. Fixing his eyes back on the Guardians, Spyro said strongly, "Since me and Cynder have been in Warfang we have been involved romantically. I know she feels as strongly for me as I do for her, and one day in the future we may become mates. Would this affect the position of Guardianship?"

"Heavens no!" Cyril quickly exclaimed, "It was very common for Guardians to have mates. Even having mates that were also Guardians themselves." He explained.

Spyro and Cynder both heaved a sigh of relief. First concern dealt with. "Is there anything else, besides our training, that we will need to do while we are apprentices?" Spyro asked.

"Several times, over the duration of your training, you will be expected to visit the Cat Tribes of Artisans, the continent we live in, to let them know who you are and make a good impression on them."

"Wait, wait, wait. _Why_ would we need to make a good impression on them?" asked Sparx.

"Because they are very helpful to us and our relationship with them is already a rocky one with some of the tribes." answered Terrador, "The cheetahs trade rare items found only in Avalar with us, such as herbs and metal ores that they find in the cliffs and river beds. The leopards also trade rare plants and herbs with us, as well as other items unique to their area; as do the tigers and lions. All of these different items help a lot with Warfang's infrastructure. It is imperative that we have a more stable relationship with the Cat Tribes, and who better to send than the heroes of the world?"

"It would be a bad idea to send me then." Cynder said with a mix of frustration and sadness, a frown upon her face. Spyro draped a leathery wing over her in comfort.

"Oh contraire," began Cyril, "I know for a fact that the tigers won't hold your past against you, it is against their beliefs of kindness, compassion and understanding. The leopards are a very intelligent and logical race, so if you explain everything they will easily forgive you. The cheetahs are already mostly accepting of you, even if old Prowlus is a bit reluctant. And the lions… um… uh…"

"What do you mean by 'uh'?" Spyro asked. He looked towards Cynder and was caught off guard by the tears welling up in her emerald eyes. "Cynder? Cynder, what's wrong?"

"I-I… _slaughtered_ their chief." She whispered, the horrific memory from her past resurfacing. Quickly, Spyro brought her into a tight, reassuring embrace, whispering comforting, sweet nothings, while sobs started to rack his love's body.

Once the tears had started to abate Spyro turned to the ice Guardian. "You think they won't forgive her." He stated, to which the blue Guardian just shook his head.

"They are a very stubborn race and can hold grudges for a very long time. I fear what they will do."

"Nothing if I have a say." Spyro said with fortitude. He cast a quick glance at Cynder with a determined expression across his face before he looked back at the Guardians. "Do you think you could send a message to them explaining who we are, what we've done, and why we are coming, so they are prepared for our arrival?"

"We could." answered Cyril thoughtfully, "But what would that achieve?"

"So that they know it wasn't Cynder's fault and they can sort out their emotions before we arrive. If they still blame her then I will explain everything, and I _will_ persuade them." Spyro replied with a raging fire of determination behind his lilac eyes that even made the battle hardened Guardians somewhat unnerved.

"I suppose it's the only thing we can do to make this meeting go better." Terrador sighed, "Very well, we shall send a message after this meeting. I also think that we should send a message to the other tribes, just to let them know that your coming. It would be very rude to turn up unannounced."

"I couldn't agree any more." said Cyril. This caused everyone else to smile broadly.

"Anything else that we may need to do as Apprentices?" Spyro asked.

"You will be expected to attend any formal events that are being held if you are available, and, later on in your training, you will be expected to attend certain Guardian meetings to discuss situations in the city; this way you will have a chance to learn in a more practical way." replied Terrador.

"Oh! You will also have several chances to help train the Apprentices we choose to fill our positions when we retire." added an exuberant Volteer, "It will be most beneficial, advantageous and favourable to you. After all, a Guardian's job also involves training and teaching the next generation."

"Though he could have used less wording, Volteer is right." said an annoyed ice Guardian, "It will help you gain invaluable experience." Seeing the looks on the younger dragons' faces the blue Guardian smiled reassuringly at them. "Do not worry about it. When the time comes you will be ready for it, but that is far into the future."

"So, what do you say? Will you accept the Apprenticeship of Master Guardian, Spyro? And, will you accept the Apprenticeship of Advisor to the Master Guardian, Cynder?" asked Terrador.

The two young dragons in question looked towards each other, and with a slight, determined nod of the head, answered in unison, "We do."

* * *

**A/N: There you have it! Sorry if you found this chapter boring, I just needed to set up the next couple of chapters that will involve visiting Nina and Flash, as well as the Cat Tribes, and maybe, **_**maybe**_**, I might include some of Volteer's search for the missing citizens of Warfang. Expect a few unexpected things…**

**What was your favourite part? **

**Least favourite part? **

**Anything you didn't understand?**

**Were any of the characters OOC? **

**Did you spot the original Spyro reference?**

**Anyway, I thought I would explain a decision of mine. The idea of the Guardian Advisor. I did get the idea from another story, but they were helping another Guardian, not Spyro (he wasn't even going to be a Guardian). I put it in there because, if you think about it, the Master Guardian job will be super stressful and even Spyro will need help with it, so why not have Cynder as the advisor? They're close, **_**very**_** close, understand each other very well, and are very good partners when it comes to combat.**

**And I do apologize but the next chapter won't be out for a while because I still have quite a few exams left and I need to revise for them. **

**Well, until we meet again…**

**W-S.**


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